English Dictionary: one by one | by the DICT Development Group |
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]: | |
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From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: | |
Pinch \Pinch\, n. 1. A close compression, as with the ends of the fingers, or with an instrument; a nip. 2. As much as may be taken between the finger and thumb; any very small quantity; as, a pinch of snuff. 3. Pian; pang. [bd]Necessary's sharp pinch.[b8] --Shak. 4. A lever having a projection at one end, acting as a fulcrum, -- used chiefly to roll heavy wheels, etc. Called also {pinch bar}. {At a pinch}, {On a pinch}, in an emergency; as, he could on a pinch read a little Latin. | |
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: | |
Even \E"ven\, a. [AS. efen. efn; akin to OS. eban, D. even, OHG. eban, G. efen, Icel. jafn, Dan. jevn, Sw. j[84]mn, Goth. ibns. Cf. {Anent}, {Ebb}.] 1. Level, smooth, or equal in surface; not rough; free from irregularities; hence uniform in rate of motion of action; as, even ground; an even speed; an even course of conduct. 2. Equable; not easily ruffed or disturbed; calm; uniformly self-possessed; as, an even temper. 3. Parallel; on a level; reaching the same limit. And shall lay thee even with the ground. --Luke xix. 44. 4. Balanced; adjusted; fair; equitable; impartial; just to both side; owing nothing on either side; -- said of accounts, bargains, or persons indebted; as, our accounts are even; an even bargain. To make the even truth in pleasure flow. --Shak. 5. Without an irregularity, flaw, or blemish; pure. [bd]I know my life so even.[b8] --Shak. 6. Associate; fellow; of the same condition. [Obs.] [bd]His even servant.[b8] --Wyclif (Matt. xviii. 29). 7. Not odd; capable of division by two without a remainder; -- said of numbers; as, 4 and 10 are even numbers. Whether the number of the stars is even or odd. --Jer. Taylor. {On even ground}, with equal advantage. {On even keel} (Naut.), in a level or horizontal position. | |
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: | |
Keel \Keel\, n. [Cf. AS. ce[a2]l ship; akin to D. & G. kiel keel, OHG. chiol ship, Icel. kj[omac]ll, and perh. to Gr. gay^los a round-built Ph[oe]nician merchant vessel, gaylo`s bucket; cf. Skr. g[omac]la ball, round water vessel. But the meaning of the English word seems to come from Icel. kj[94]lr keel, akin to Sw. k[94]l, Dan. kj[94]l.] 1. (Shipbuilding) A longitudinal timber, or series of timbers scarfed together, extending from stem to stern along the bottom of a vessel. It is the principal timber of the vessel, and, by means of the ribs attached on each side, supports the vessel's frame. In an iron vessel, a combination of plates supplies the place of the keel of a wooden ship. See Illust. of {Keelson}. 2. Fig.: The whole ship. 3. A barge or lighter, used on the Type for carrying coal from Newcastle; also, a barge load of coal, twenty-one tons, four cwt. [Eng.] 4. (Bot.) The two lowest petals of the corolla of a papilionaceous flower, united and inclosing the stamens and pistil; a carina. See {Carina}. 5. (Nat. Hist.) A projecting ridge along the middle of a flat or curved surface. {Bilge keel} (Naut.), a keel peculiar to ironclad vessels, extending only a portion of the length of the vessel under the bilges. --Ham. Nav. Encyc. {False keel}. See under {False}. {Keel boat}. (a) A covered freight boat, with a keel, but no sails, used on Western rivers. [U. S.] (b) A low, flat-bottomed freight boat. See {Keel}, n., 3. {Keel piece}, one of the timbers or sections of which a keel is composed. {On even keel}, in a level or horizontal position, so that the draught of water at the stern and the bow is the same. --Ham. Nav. Encyc. | |
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: | |
Even \E"ven\, a. [AS. efen. efn; akin to OS. eban, D. even, OHG. eban, G. efen, Icel. jafn, Dan. jevn, Sw. j[84]mn, Goth. ibns. Cf. {Anent}, {Ebb}.] 1. Level, smooth, or equal in surface; not rough; free from irregularities; hence uniform in rate of motion of action; as, even ground; an even speed; an even course of conduct. 2. Equable; not easily ruffed or disturbed; calm; uniformly self-possessed; as, an even temper. 3. Parallel; on a level; reaching the same limit. And shall lay thee even with the ground. --Luke xix. 44. 4. Balanced; adjusted; fair; equitable; impartial; just to both side; owing nothing on either side; -- said of accounts, bargains, or persons indebted; as, our accounts are even; an even bargain. To make the even truth in pleasure flow. --Shak. 5. Without an irregularity, flaw, or blemish; pure. [bd]I know my life so even.[b8] --Shak. 6. Associate; fellow; of the same condition. [Obs.] [bd]His even servant.[b8] --Wyclif (Matt. xviii. 29). 7. Not odd; capable of division by two without a remainder; -- said of numbers; as, 4 and 10 are even numbers. Whether the number of the stars is even or odd. --Jer. Taylor. {On even ground}, with equal advantage. {On even keel} (Naut.), in a level or horizontal position. | |
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: | |
One \One\, n. 1. A single unit; as, one is the base of all numbers. 2. A symbol representing a unit, as 1, or i. 3. A single person or thing. [bd]The shining ones.[b8] --Bunyan. [bd]Hence, with your little ones.[b8] --Shak. He will hate the one, and love the other. --Matt. vi. 24. That we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory. --Mark x. 37. {After one}, after one fashion; alike. [Obs.] --Chaucer. {At one}, in agreement or concord. See {At one}, in the Vocab. {Ever in one}, continually; perpetually; always. [Obs.] --Chaucer. {In one}, in union; in a single whole. {One and one}, {One by one}, singly; one at a time; one after another. [bd]Raising one by one the suppliant crew.[b8] --Dryden. | |
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: | |
By \By\ (b[imac]), prep. [OE. bi, AS. b[c6], big, near to, by, of, from, after, according to; akin to OS. & OFries. bi, be, D. bij, OHG. b[c6], G. bei, Goth. bi, and perh. Gr. 'amfi`. E. prefix be- is orig. the same word. [root]203. See pref. {Be-}.] 1. In the neighborhood of; near or next to; not far from; close to; along with; as, come and sit by me. [1913 Webster] By foundation or by shady rivulet He sought them both. --Milton. 2. On; along; in traversing. Compare 5. Long labors both by sea and land he bore. --Dryden. By land, by water, they renew the charge. --Pope. 3. Near to, while passing; hence, from one to the other side of; past; as, to go by a church. 4. Used in specifying adjacent dimensions; as, a cabin twenty feet by forty. 5. Against. [Obs.] --Tyndale [1. Cor. iv. 4]. 6. With, as means, way, process, etc.; through means of; with aid of; through; through the act or agency of; as, a city is destroyed by fire; profit is made by commerce; to take by force. Note: To the meaning of by, as denoting means or agency, belong, more or less closely, most of the following uses of the word: (a) It points out the author and producer; as, [bd]Waverley[b8], a novel by Sir W.Scott; a statue by Canova; a sonata by Beethoven. (b) In an oath or adjuration, it indicates the being or thing appealed to as sanction; as, I affirm to you by all that is sacred; he swears by his faith as a Christian; no, by Heaven. (c) According to; by direction, authority, or example of; after; -- in such phrases as, it appears by his account; ten o'clock by my watch; to live by rule; a model to build by. (d) At the rate of; according to the ratio or proportion of; in the measure or quantity of; as, to sell cloth by the yard, milk by the quart, eggs by the dozen, meat by the pound; to board by the year. (e) In comparison, it denotes the measure of excess or deficiency; when anything is increased or diminished, it indicates the measure of increase or diminution; as, larger by a half; older by five years; to lessen by a third. (f) It expresses continuance or duration; during the course of; within the period of; as, by day, by night. (g) As soon as; not later than; near or at; -- used in expressions of time; as, by this time the sun had risen; he will be here by two o'clock. Note: In boxing the compass, by indicates a pint nearer to, or towards, the next cardinal point; as, north by east, i.e., a point towards the east from the north; northeast by east, i.e., on point nearer the east than northeast is. Note: With is used instead of by before the instrument with which anything is done; as, to beat one with a stick; the board was fastened by the carpenter with nails. But there are many words which may be regarded as means or processes, or, figuratively, as instruments; and whether with or by shall be used with them is a matter of arbitrary, and often, of unsettled usage; as, to a reduce a town by famine; to consume stubble with fire; he gained his purpose by flattery; he entertained them with a story; he distressed us with or by a recital of his sufferings. see {With}. {By all means}, most assuredly; without fail; certainly. {By and by}. (a) Close together (of place). [Obs.] [bd]Two yonge knightes liggyng [lying] by and by.[b8] --Chaucer. (b) Immediately; at once. [Obs.] [bd]When . . . persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.[b8] --Matt. xiii. 21. (c) Presently; pretty soon; before long. Note: In this phrase, by seems to be used in the sense of nearness in time, and to be repeated for the sake of emphasis, and thus to be equivalent to [bd]soon, and soon,[b8] that is instantly; hence, -- less emphatically, -- pretty soon, presently. {By one's self}, with only one's self near; alone; solitary. {By the bye}. See under {Bye}. {By the head} (Naut.), having the bows lower than the stern; -- said of a vessel when her head is lower in the water than her stern. If her stern is lower, she is by the stern. {By the lee}, the situation of a vessel, going free, when she has fallen off so much as to bring the wind round her stern, and to take her sails aback on the other side. {By the run}, to let go by the run, to let go altogether, instead of slacking off. {By the way}, by the bye; -- used to introduce an incidental or secondary remark or subject. {Day by day}, {One by one}, {Piece by piece}, etc., each day, each one, each piece, etc., by itself singly or separately; each severally. {To come by}, to get possession of; to obtain. {To do by}, to treat, to behave toward. {To set by}, to value, to esteem. {To stand by}, to aid, to support. Note: The common phrase good-by is equivalent to farewell, and would be better written good-bye, as it is a corruption of God be with you (b'w'ye). | |
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: | |
Sour \Sour\, a. [Compar. {Sourer}; superl. {Sourest}.] [OE. sour, sur, AS. s[?]r; akin to D. zuur, G. sauer, OHG. s[?]r, Icel. s[?]rr, Sw. sur, Dan. suur, Lith. suras salt, Russ. surovui harsh, rough. Cf. {Sorrel}, the plant.] 1. Having an acid or sharp, biting taste, like vinegar, and the juices of most unripe fruits; acid; tart. All sour things, as vinegar, provoke appetite. --Bacon. 2. Changed, as by keeping, so as to be acid, rancid, or musty, turned. 3. Disagreeable; unpleasant; hence; cross; crabbed; peevish; morose; as, a man of a sour temper; a sour reply. [bd]A sour countenance.[b8] --Swift. He was a scholar . . . Lofty and sour to them that loved him not, But to those men that sought him sweet as summer. --Shak. 4. Afflictive; painful. [bd]Sour adversity.[b8] --Shak. 5. Cold and unproductive; as, sour land; a sour marsh. {Sour dock} (Bot.), sorrel. {Sour gourd} (Bot.), the gourdlike fruit {Adansonia Gregorii}, and {A. digitata}; also, either of the trees bearing this fruit. See {Adansonia}. {Sour grapes}. See under {Grape}. {Sour gum} (Bot.) See {Turelo}. {Sour plum} (Bot.), the edible acid fruit of an Australian tree ({Owenia venosa}); also, the tree itself, which furnished a hard reddish wood used by wheelwrights. Syn: Acid; sharp; tart; acetous; acetose; harsh; acrimonious; crabbed; currish; peevish. | |
From Jargon File (4.2.0, 31 JAN 2000) [jargon]: | |
one-banana problem n. At mainframe shops, where the computers have operators for routine administrivia, the programmers and hardware people tend to look down on the operators and claim that a trained monkey could do their job. It is frequently observed that the incentives that would be offered said monkeys can be used as a scale to describe the difficulty of a task. A one-banana problem is simple; hence, "It's only a one-banana job at the most; what's taking them so long?" At IBM, folklore divides the world into one-, two-, and three-banana problems. Other cultures have different hierarchies and may divide them more finely; at ICL, for example, five grapes (a bunch) equals a banana. Their upper limit for the in-house {sysape}s is said to be two bananas and three grapes (another source claims it's three bananas and one grape, but observes "However, this is subject to local variations, cosmic rays and ISO"). At a complication level any higher than that, one asks the manufacturers to send someone around to check things. See also {Infinite-Monkey Theorem}. | |
From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (15Feb98) [foldoc]: | |
one-banana problem At mainframe shops, where the computers have operators for routine administrivia, the programmers and hardware people tend to look down on the operators and claim that a trained monkey could do their job. It is frequently observed that the incentives that would be offered said monkeys can be used as a scale to describe the difficulty of a task. A one-banana problem is simple; hence, "It's only a one-banana job at the most; what's taking them so long?" At IBM, folklore divides the world into one-, two-, and three-banana problems. Other cultures have different hierarchies and may divide them more finely; at ICL, for example, five grapes (a bunch) equals a banana. Their upper limit for the in-house {sysape}s is said to be two bananas and three grapes (another source claims it's three bananas and one grape, but observes "However, this is subject to local variations, cosmic rays and ISO"). At a complication level any higher than that, one asks the manufacturers to send someone around to check things. See also {Infinite-Monkey Theorem}. [{Jargon File}] | |
From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (15Feb98) [foldoc]: | |
one-way function compute but whose {inverse} is very difficult to compute. Such functions have important applications in {cryptography}, specifically in {public-key cryptography}. See also: {trapdoor function}. (2001-05-10) |